I’m a male member. For those of you who use ED medication, how do you determine the dosage that works best for you? Sometimes the usual dosage prescribed by clinics or commonly mentioned online doesn’t seem effective, depending on how I’m feeling. Is it okay to start with a standard low dose and gradually increase it? Thank you in advance.

I’m Joe. I used to rely on Cialis—half a 20 mg tablet before dinner. But I haven’t used it lately. No, it’s not because Joe’s abilities have improved; it’s because I became intimate with a woman who makes “Cialis unnecessary.” The first time we got into bed, I’d forgotten to take it, yet everything worked as if I had. Ever since, I’ve carried it around as a good-luck charm, haha. With women other than her, though, the charm doesn’t seem to work. In fact, if I take it, things work even when my heart isn’t in it. Take care! Ah, I seem to have answered my own question while pretending to give advice. Sorry.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. The advantage of specialized clinics is that they simply hand you the medication quickly, so you can usually get it and leave within a few minutes—about one to three minutes. Even at your first appointment, it’s normal for the consultation to last only a few dozen seconds to about 1.2 minutes, with little to no explanation. I think you have to figure out the right dosage, timing, and way to take it for yourself through trial and error. After trying about three types, I’ve found Viagra-type medication particularly useful because it works quickly and wears off in a relatively short time. If we’re meeting right away, I take a quarter of a 50 mg tablet. If we’re having dinner, I take half a tablet as soon as I arrive at the restaurant and drink plenty of water. If dinner turns into a long second stop, I take another quarter tablet after arriving at the hotel. I’d risk being identified if I wrote any more, so I recommend finding the method that works best for you. Through trial and error, you’ll probably figure out the timing and dosage that suit you—for example, taking it four or five minutes before a meal can still be effective. The amount can also vary depending on the partner—sometimes I take 2.3 times as much.

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here as well. Thank you for your question. If you think about why it isn’t sold over the counter at pharmacies and instead requires a doctor’s prescription, you’ll understand that this isn’t something an amateur should be answering here. Matters involving your physical condition, as well as anything you may find easier to discuss with a professional, should be addressed with a specialist at a clinic or elsewhere. That’s presumably why, in Japan, only qualified professionals are allowed to handle it. That said, I have the impression that it’s sold over the counter in other countries (though I’m not very familiar with the details), so I do think it might be reasonable for Japan to allow that as well. However, if many people can’t make that judgment for themselves, like the person asking this question, then it may simply not be possible to sell it over the counter.

I’m Marika, a female member. That’s something you should ask the doctor who prescribed it. What’s the point of asking laypeople here? Just to add: For example, Cialis comes in 5, 10, and 20 mg doses. You might start at 5 mg and increase it up to 20 mg depending on how well it works. What you’re saying is that even 20 mg isn’t effective, right? So are you really going to ask non-experts and simply take someone at their word when they say, “I take 40 mg”? Isn’t that the sort of thing older guys often talk about over drinks with other men? If you find it hard to ask during a one-minute consultation for ED medication, you probably have one or two former classmates who became doctors. Just ask one of them openly.